Flexy-power amplifier: a new amplifier with built-in power management

ABSTRACT

A voltage amplifier is provided. The voltage amplifier includes an amplifier stage to amplify an input signal. A bias current generator supplies a bias current to the amplifier stage. The bias current generator is controllable in response to a frame rate signal that is representative of a video frame rate. A compensation network stabilizes a loop response of the voltage amplifier. The compensation network is controllable in response to the frame rate signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/003,662,filed Oct. 18, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,982,758 which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application entitled “FLEXY-POWER AMPLIFIER:A NEW AMPLIFIER WITH BUILT-IN POWER MANAGEMENT”, filed Jul. 23, 2001,Application Ser. No. 60/307,513, which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to complementary metal oxide semiconductor activepixel sensors (CMOS APS), and more particularly to power amplifiers usedin CMOS APS systems.

BACKGROUND

Conventional active pixel digital video camera devices for video cellphone application are typically designed for operation at a frame rateof 30 fps (frames per second). However, due to the limited bandwidth ofthe existing phone network, they may operate at a slower frame rate ofabout 15 fps. Since the power consumption and settling time ofconventional digital video camera devices was originally optimized forperformance at 30 fps, operating the devices at a slower frame rate mayresult in excessive power consumption and increased susceptibility tonoise.

SUMMARY

A voltage amplifier is provided. The voltage amplifier includes anamplifier stage to amplify an input signal. A bias current generatorsupplies a bias current to the amplifier stage. The bias currentgenerator is controllable in response to a frame rate signal that isrepresentative of a video frame rate. A compensation network stabilizesa loop response of the voltage amplifier. The compensation network iscontrollable in response to the frame rate signal.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary CMOS active pixel sensorimager.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an array of active pixel sensors and areadout circuit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a voltage driver.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a voltage amplifier.

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a voltage amplifier.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a compensation network.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method of generating a controlled voltage.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) imager 30 that includes anarray of active pixel sensors 29 and a controller 32 that providestiming and control signals to enable reading out of signals stored inthe pixels. Exemplary arrays have dimensions of 128 by 128 pixels or 256by 256 pixels. The actual size of the array 29 will depend on theparticular implementation. The imager is read out a row at a time usinga column parallel readout architecture. The controller 32 selects aparticular row of pixels in the array 29 by controlling the operation ofa vertical addressing circuit 34 and row drivers 40. Charge signalsstored in the selected row of pixels are provided to a readout circuit42. The pixels read from each of the columns then can be read outsequentially using a horizontal addressing circuit 44. A set of voltagedrivers 43 generates low noise reference voltages for the readoutcircuit 42. Differential pixel signals (VOUT1, VOUT2) are provided atthe output of the readout circuit 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, the array 29 includes multiple columns 49 of CMOSactive pixel sensors 50. Each column includes multiple rows of sensors50. Signals from the active pixel sensors 50 in a particular column canbe read out to a readout circuit 42 associated with that column. Thereadout circuits 42 include sample and hold circuits 51 to sample thesensor signals. A multiplexer 53 multiplexes the signals stored in thereadout circuits 42 so that the signals can be read to a gain amplifier54 that is common to the entire pixel array 29. The analog outputsignals can then be sent, for example, to an analog-to-digital converter(ADC) 56. The set of voltage drivers 43 provides reference voltages tothe imager 30 including the sample and hold circuits 51, the gainamplifier 54, and the ADC 56.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of one of the voltage drivers 43. The voltagedriver 43 includes a current source 60 coupled to a resistor string 62to generate a reference voltage. A switch 64 applies the referencevoltage to a holding capacitor 66 at a predetermined interval tominimize voltage error caused by switching noise generated by the imager30. A voltage amplifier 68 is connected in a voltage followerconfiguration to provide a impedance output voltage.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a voltage amplifier 68.The voltage amplifier 68 includes an amplifier stage 70 to generate anoutput voltage Vout from an input voltage Vin. The amplifier stage 70 isoperated in class A mode. A bias current generator 72 supplies a biascurrent to the amplifier stage 70 for biasing the amplifying devices(not shown). A frame rate signal 74 controls the magnitude of the biascurrent generated by the bias current generator 72 so that at lowerframe rates the bias current supplied to the amplifier stage 70 isreduced. Since the amplifier stage 70 is operated in class A mode, thereduction in bias current is approximately proportional to a reductionin the power consumption of the voltage amplifier 43. Although the framerate signal 74 preferably indicates two different frame rates, thesignal 74 may indicate multiple frame rate levels such as four or eightdifferent frame rates.

A compensation network 76 is coupled to the amplifier stage 70 tocontrol the gain-bandwidth of the voltage amplifier 68 so that loopstability is maintained. The frame rate signal 74 may control thecompensation network 76 in conjunction with the bias current generator72 to maintain effective stability margins for the voltage amplifier 68.The stability margins preferably include a loop phase margin of about 60degrees to provide a critically damped response to load transients andinput voltage transients. The voltage amplifier 68 will operate at phasemargins both significantly greater and less than 60 degrees. As thephase margin approaches zero degrees, the voltage amplifier 68 exhibitsan underdamped response to transients, becoming much more susceptible tonoise. At phase margins significantly greater than 60 degrees, thevoltage amplifier 68 exhibits an overdamped response, reactingsluggishly to transients. As an example, in response to the frame ratesignal indicating a lower frame rate, the bias current may be set toone-half the former bias current value, and the compensation network 76adjusted to have a lower open-loop gain crossover frequency with a phasemargin of about 60 degrees. Reducing the bias current, decreases thepower consumption of the voltage amplifier 68, while changing thecompensation network to lower the crossover frequency reduces the noisesusceptibility of the voltage amplifier 68.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic of an embodiment of a voltage amplifier 80. Thevoltage amplifier 80 includes a compensation network 82 coupled betweena first stage 84 and a second stage 86. The first stage 84 and thesecond stage 86 include bias current generators 88-92 that arecontrollable by a frame rate signal FR1. The frame rate signal may alsocontrol the setting of the compensation network 82, reducing theamplifier bandwidth when operating the voltage amplifier 80 at slowerframe rates.

For operation at 30 fps, a 10 uA bias current is generated by each ofthe bias current generators 88-92 to bias the first and second stages 84and 86. The compensation network 82 is adjusted to provide an amplifierbandwidth of about 83 MHz.

For operation at 15 fps, a 5 uA bias current is generated by each of thebias current generators 88-92 in response to the frame rate signal toreduce power consumption. The compensation network 82 is adjusted todecrease the amplifier bandwidth to about 36 MHZ to reducesusceptibility to off-band noise and increase the settling time of thevoltage amplifier 80.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the compensation network 82 which mayinclude a controlled impedance 94 in combination with a controlledcapacitance 96. The controlled capacitance 96 may be adjusted to controlthe bandwidth of the voltage amplifier 80 and the controlled impedance94 may be adjusted to control the phase margin. The controlledcapacitance 96 and controlled impedance 94 may be adjusted in discretesteps or over a continuous range of values.

The controlled capacitance 96 may include two or more capacitors 98-100in combination with a switch 102. The switch 102 may be in series orparallel with selected ones of the capacitors 98-100 so that thecapacitance of the controlled capacitance 96 is varied by changing thestate of the switch 102 between open and closed.

The controlled impedance 94 may include two or more resistors 104-106 incombination with a switch 108. The switch 108 may be in series orparallel with selected ones of the resistors 104-106 so that theresistance of the controlled impedance 94 is varied by changing thestate of the switch 108 between open and closed. The controlledimpedance 94 may also be implemented with a transistor 110 such as aField Effect Transistor (FET) that is operated in the active region sothat the flow of current through the transistor is controlled.

FIG. 7 shows a method of generating a controlled output voltage.Beginning at state 120, a frame rate control signal is generated. Theframe rate control signal is a function of the video frame rate of theimager system 30 (FIG. 1) that includes the voltage amplifier 68 (FIG.4). Continuing on to state 122, the bias current of the voltageamplifier 68 is controlled as a function of the frame rate controlsignal so that at slower frame rates, a lower magnitude of bias currentis generated in the voltage amplifier 68. At step 124, the capacitanceof the compensation network 76 is controlled as a function of the framerate control signal so that at slower frame rates the bandwidth of thevoltage amplifier 68 is decreased. Concluding at step 126, the impedanceof the compensation network 76 is controlled as a function of the framerate control signal so that at slower frame rates the real portion ofthe current flowing in the compensation network is adjusted to provideabout 60 degrees of phase margin.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the followingclaims.

1. A voltage amplifier, comprising: an amplifier stage to amplify aninput signal; and a bias current generator to supply a bias current tothe amplifier stage, the bias current generator controllable in responseto a frame rate signal, the frame rate signal being representative of avideo frame rate, wherein a loop response of the voltage amplifier isstabilized in response to the frame rate signal.
 2. The voltageamplifier of claim 1, wherein the loop response of the voltage amplifieris stabilized with a Miller compensator.
 3. The voltage amplifier ofclaim 2, wherein the Miller compensator includes a controlled capacitorhaving a value responsive to the frame rate signal.
 4. The voltageamplifier of claim 3, wherein the Miller compensator further includes acontrolled resistor having a value responsive to the frame rate signal.5. The voltage amplifier of claim 4, wherein the controlled resistorincludes a Field Effect Transistor operated in the active region.
 6. Thevoltage amplifier of claim 4, wherein: the controlled resistor includesa first combination of a first switch and a compensation resistor; andthe controlled capacitor includes a second combination of a secondswitch and a compensation capacitor.
 7. The voltage amplifier of claim1, wherein the amplifier stage includes a first stage and a secondstage.
 8. The voltage amplifier of claim 7, wherein the loop response ofthe voltage amplifier is stabilized between the first stage and thesecond stage.
 9. A CMOS imager, comprising: an array of CMOS activepixel sensors; a row driver circuit to select a row of sensors in thearray; a column readout circuit to readout a column of sensors in thearray; a timing and control circuit to control the row driver circuitand the column readout circuit; and the voltage amplifier of claim 1,wherein said voltage amplifier is configured to generate a voltagesignal in response to an input signal.
 10. The CMOS imager of claim 9,wherein the loop response of the voltage amplifier is stabilized with aMiller compensator.
 11. The CMOS imager of claim 10, wherein the Millercompensator includes a controlled capacitor having a value responsive tothe frame rate signal.
 12. The CMOS imager of claim 11, wherein theMiller compensator further includes a controlled resistor having a valueresponsive to the frame rate signal.
 13. The CMOS imager of claim 12,wherein: the controlled resistor includes a first combination of a firstswitch and a compensation resistor; and the controlled capacitorincludes a second combination of a second switch and a compensationcapacitor.
 14. A voltage amplifier having a controlled outputcomprising: a first stage to amplify an input signal; a second stagecoupled to an output of the first stage to generate the controlledoutput; a first bias current generator to supply a first bias current tothe first stage, the first bias current generator controllable inresponse to a frame rate signal; and a second bias current generator tosupply a second bias current to the second stage, the second biascurrent generator controllable in response to the frame rate signal,wherein a loop response of the voltage amplifier is stabilized inresponse to the frame rate signal.
 15. The voltage amplifier of claim14, wherein the loop response of the voltage amplifier is stabilizedwith a controlled capacitor having a value responsive to the frame ratesignal.
 16. The voltage amplifier of claim 15, wherein the loop responseof the voltage amplifier is further stabilized with a controlledresistor having a value responsive to the frame rate signal.
 17. Thevoltage amplifier of claim 16, wherein the controlled resistor includesa Field Effect Transistor operated in the active region.
 18. The voltageamplifier of claim 16, wherein: the controlled resistor includes a firstcombination of a first switch and a compensation resistor; and thecontrolled capacitor includes a second combination of a second switchand a compensation capacitor.
 19. A method of generating a drivervoltage for a CMOS imager, comprising: providing an amplifier;determining a video frame rate of the CMOS imager; in the amplifier,generating the driver voltage as a function of an input voltage; andcontrolling a bias current of the amplifier as a function of the videoframe rate such that at a lower frame rate the bias current is reduced,wherein at a lower frame rate a bandwidth of the amplifier is reduced asa function of the video frame rate.
 20. The method of claim 19, whereinas a function of the video frame rate a predetermined phase margin ofthe amplifier is maintained for a range of frame rates.